Oops someone broke my window (not) with a pear

Jacky Cheng and Kelly Cui

​​​​Materials (3 portions):

Poached pears

Bosc, Anjou, or Asian Pears     3       

Merlot                                750 mL

Pomegranate molasses minimal

Cloves                                    10 g

Cinnamon                          1 stick

Nutmeg                                  10 g

Vanilla extract                      2 tsp

Large ziploc bag                     1

Shattered sugar

(large) Navel orange                1           

White sugar                           15 g

Butane fuel canister           some

Charred eggplant puree

Eggplant                                 2

Extra virgin olive oil            some

Lemon                                     1

Goat cheese-gooseberry ice cream (makes 1 quart)

Goat cheese                       100 g

Lemon juice                a squeeze

Cream                                  380 g

Milk                                       320 g

Sugar                                   100 g

Corn syrup                             30 g

Honey                                     30 g

Xanthan gum                       ¼ tsp

Gooseberries                      300 g

Lemon juice                a squeeze

Sugar                                      40 g

Corn syrup                             40 g

Procedure:

Poached pears

1. Bring a pot of red wine to simmer

2. Sweeten to taste with pomegranate molasses

3. Add cloves, cinnamon, and the peels of the oranges to the wine

4. Peel the pears and poach them right away, for 20 minutes

5. Allow the pears to cool in poaching liquid

6. Store pears overnight in poaching liquid, in Ziploc bag

Note: Ziploc bags are very helpful here because they allow the pears to be stored without our having to handle large volumes of liquid in unwieldly pots and trays!

Shattered sugar

7. Slice a round disk of navel orange

8. Cover the orange disk with white sugar

9. Using a blowtorch, sear the sugar until it melts and slightly caramelizes

10. Allow the sheet of sugar to cool

11. Using a knife, remove the sugar sheet. Allow it to dry and store overnight (or, try caramel tuile recipe)

Goat cheese ice cream

12.  Whisk together sugar and xanthan gum until evenly combined

13. Bring cream, milk, corn syrup, and honey to a boil. Whisk in sugar mixture and reduce to a simmer for two minutes. Remove from heat.

14. Once cooled, blend in room-temperature goat cheese and lemon juice using blender/immersion blender. Let chill in fridge, ideally overnight.

15. In the meantime, cook gooseberries with sugar, syrup, and lemon juice over medium heat until softened; mash lightly. Continue cooking until mixture thickens.

16. Churn ice cream, pack into quart container with layers of gooseberry compote. Freeze.  

Plating

17. Refrigerate the plates before serving if possible

18. Remove the pears from bag and allow them to stand and drain until they are not dripping marinade

19. Break the sugar disk on the plate and scatter the pieces around

20. Add a quenelle of goat cheese ice cream

21. Beside the ice cream, place a poached pear, off-center from the dish